Nucleation-induced undulative instability in thin films of <i>n</i> CB liquid crystals

Abstract

A surface instability is reported in thin nematic films of 5CB and 8CB,\noccurring near the nematic--isotropic phase transition.\n Although this instability leads to patterns reminiscent of spinodal\ndewetting, we show that it is actually based on a nucleation mechanism. Its\ncharacteristic wavelength does not depend markedly on film thickness, but\nstrongly on the heating rate.\n